Napa, CA

Skyline Wilderness Park

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3.895(based on 49 reviews)
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17 0
Upshawt1979
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 548 played 429 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Wine Not?

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 2, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

Skyline has lots of elevation change and just enough trees to demand good shot shaping. Some of the pin locations are tricky. More fun than challenging, but both sides of that coin are in play. Scenery and wildlife a big plus.

The concrete tees are big and also have unique looks throughout. There are decent tee signs with a spinning washer to signify the current pin. All holes have multiple pin placements. The baskets are all ok. A couple are raised on a barrel adding some local flavor. Everything is par 3, and plenty of birdies are in play. Discs are for sale at the park entrance.

If I had to pick a favorite hole I wold go with 7. It's not quite a top of the world shot from an elevated tee, but it kind of feels that way. It is downhill, and the fairway slopes hard to the left as you get out of the box. I made the mistake of leaving my driver fading to the left as it hit the hillside short of the pin. It skipped and rolled all the way down onto the tee for hole 12, leaving a long uphill comeback. 8 is also fun, and also dealt me a brutal roll. It is across the hill, but I clipped a branch early and caught an edge, exit stage left.

Cons:

The walk in from the parking area is not short, maybe a half mile or so. I played during the killer heat wave, and the dusty ground and dry grass on those slopes can be slippery. Good footwear is imperative.

It does cost money to enter the park, I payed the $6 fee twice, as I didn't have enough time to get in a full round before my dinner reservations, and had to return the next morning.

No dogs allowed.

Other Thoughts:

If you look at the photos for Skyline on DGCR there are shots from Discette that look lush and green, and shots from RedMammoth that are dry and desert like. I was there a month or two after RedMammoth, and the heat was real.

I tried to get in an evening round before going to dinner, but didn't have enough time. Local doubles was in session. I was playing like I went to two wine tastings earlier in the day. Bad combo for speedy play. I left after finishing 7 holes.

The next morning I returned to play the last 12 holes, and would recommend playing early. The morning fog was lifting. 3 bucks were relaxing between 15A basket and 16 tee. Way more chill.

I couldn't say there is a signature hole that stands out, but I also think all of the holes are good and there isn't too much repetition. It's a nice hike and a lot of fun to play. I liked it a lot. An extra hole is in place right before you cross the bridge at the course entrance. It looks like an old tee that plays over the creek to the C pin for hole one.

Over the two visits I played the entire course and was even par. 3 birdies and 3 bogies, par on the rest.

I'm not a big wine guy, but my fiance is in the business and got us some tours. Skyline was my little treat in Napa and I'm glad I went.
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16 0
mndiscg
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 480 played 478 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A welcome getaway from the rest of Napa Valley

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 9, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Excellent land to put a DG course on. It's really hard to have a good course without a solid foundation. This one has it all. Beautiful park up in the foothills above the city of Napa. It feels very secluded and remote.
+Lots and lots of elevation change. Many holes play up, down, or on the sides of big hills. Lots of greens are challenging due to the slopes. Lots of risk/reward.
+Nice tees. They are plenty big, nice grippy surface, level, and many have a broom.
+Signage is solid. It is very necessary with how many baskets are in play on each hole.
+Every hole has multiple baskets. This course can play quite easy up to championship level depending on which basket you are aiming for. I played more of the shorter ones since I was dragging my wife around the course on a vacation/work trip. The short holes are still quite fun and still have some challenge due to the elevation changes.
+Lots of cool flora and fauna to see. Coming from the midwest, most of the plants and animals were different from what I see. There were many wild turkeys, lots of little lizards, interesting insects, cool oak trees, olive trees, etc. If you are traveling with a non disc golfer, this park is pretty cool to just walk around on.
+There is another course near the park entrance that is more park style and a nice complement/warm up for this course.
+Nice amenities near the park entrance. Bathroom, camping, parking, other stuff to do for the family. It is about half a mile hike to the course and there's not much for amenities on the course itself.
+I think most people come to Napa to eat too much, drink too much, and spend too much money so this course shouldn't be too busy most of the time. I did see some posters for weekly leagues (Thursday evenings I think).
+Baskets were a bit on the older side but were in reasonably good shape. A few were elevated to add some challenge and fun to the course.
+You can buy discs at the entrance station. I didn't look too much at the selection but bought a gummy putter with a custom stamp on it. A better souvenir than you usually get from Napa IMO.

Cons:

-Navigation is pretty average. Not bad but not great. There are some signs pointing to next tee but they are easy to miss. Lots of worn in paths that don't lead where you want to go.
-Having multiple pins is great for locals but was a little confusing as a traveling player. Not a big negative but needs to be listed.
-Not a lot of erosion control on some fairways and baskets.
-Most holes were a little more open then I would prefer. There was challenge from the elevation but not a lot from obstacles.
-Could really use some water on the course. I played early in the day with a 32oz bottle and still went through it all. This course would be brutal in the afternoon heat.
-A lot of the holes were fun and memorable but I think this course lacks a true signature hole or two. It's almost hard to say that about such a quality course but thinking back, there's not an individual hole that really wowed me.

Other Thoughts:

+I think this course is slightly underrated due to more of the reviews being from a long time ago. Based on other reviews, this course has undergone slow but sure improvements over the years. I think a lot of the 3.5 reviews of the past would be 4 if they played again. Many of the old critiques aren't as relevant anymore.
+Well worth a stop if you are a DGer visiting Napa. It is much different than most everything else in the city.
+It is pay to play. $6 per car. Well worth the entry fee to me.
+Bring water and good footwear. Play early in the day. Use Udisc or download a map before you go so you can find your way around.
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15 0
NorcalJake
Experience: 34 played 8 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Wine Country Hike, keep up the upgrades! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 30, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Only played this course twice now, but I think I've got enough sense of it to give it a fair review.

+ concrete teepads are great - leveled and grippy but not too grippy - cool artisitc line patterns/colors in many
+ Awesome views of the wine country throughout!
+ Elevation! I love and look for elevation and I love it here - up, down, across, gaps but never too 'extreme'
+ Trails and general upkeep around tees are great. The course routing doesn't go straight up and down slopes too much so even though it's a serious hike the paths are worn with a good tread for the most part.
+ Nice bright new signs on the old sign posts with next tee indicated. Lots of seemingly thoughtful alternate locations. Will definitely bring me back for more variety
+ Speaking of variety, the distances, shot-shapes and feel of the holes keeps you interested, challenged and staring often at your bag for disc selection.
+ Always love the gnarly oak branching. Makes some tee shots magical and creates new windows all the time to try to hit on upshots.
+ Discatchers. Always nice. I prefer a color-band that's more visible than old dga's

Cons:

- Need more places to sit! Gimme some benches, not just stumps here and there
- Pretty dusty and weedy this time of year. When I played early spring it was much more green. Of course it's a super hot and dry summer. They painted 'no-smoking on all the sign posts, for good reason... They even have fire-extinguishers on some posts!
- Long walk to first tee from parking. Like Stafford. I appreciate the warm-up but it adds to an already big hike.
- Rollaways. The situation is not as bad as Taylor Mountain because where your discs land is usually more visible and the brush isn't as thick. Still annoying at times. Watch your shots closely! And use a spotter if playing with others on certain shots.

Other Thoughts:

Would like to see more trail work. In areas they have done some great slope holding, steps and terracing of trails and near greens with logs. The $6 fee is well worth it if you plan to take your time and enjoy the whole course. Plan for 4 hours with the walk in and maybe a snack/water break. This is an excellent course even though its old now, and worth the trip out here. I'd give it a 4.2 maybe if I could, but I can't bump it to 4.5. Maybe with some more improvements and really enjoying it on a spring day... A bit oppressive in mid-summer. Go early and it's ok. Like the last reviewer I didn't see too much poison oak, but it's there for sure. Keep your eye out.
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12 0
gtg888h
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.8 years 40 played 27 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great NorCal Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

+Rolling, rugged beauty typical of NorCal courses. Having seen Delaveaga several times on YouTube coverage, this felt like Dela but less wooded. The old twisty oaks were incredible.

+Terrific hole designs, with a great variety of downhill bombs, uphill climbs, left-to-right and right-to-lefts, and of course plenty of death putts. Very challenging, but not unapproachably so. A few that are worth emptying the bag on from the tee if you're not backed up.

+Great tee pads and most baskets in good condition. Signs were reasonably informative for this out-of-towner playing it solo.

+The rough was very fair, I hardly saw any poison oak or the like. Nothing like the east coast jungles I'm used to.

Cons:

-Flags on the bsskets would help immensely, especially given how many blind shots there were. I had to walk halfway to the basket several times to find it, and that's tough on a course with this much elevation change.

-Only one tee pad per hole, reducing playability options (one pin per hole but multiple basket locations).

Other Thoughts:

On the property of an RV park, I think it's $8 to play if you're not staying there. About a 10 min hike to get to hole 1 from the parking, but that part isn't strenuous.

Very hilly course, will provide a great workout with lots of rollaway potential or epic shanks if you hyzer out/turn it over down a cliff. Spot for your fellow players - I'm very fortunate to have lost zero discs playing solo. Bring lots of water on hot days, this course will demand it.

Another 9-hole course is on the same property near the park entrance, much easier but decent.

Probably call ahead if it's rained hard the day before, I could see the place being almost unplayable after heavy rain.
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10 0
tcecil
Experience: 30 years 21 played 5 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Nestled in the twisty oak trees 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 13, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Beautiful vistas and hilly scenery, lots of old twisty oak trees.

Great mix of left/right/blind/short/medium-longish holes. A number of across a valley holes and uphill/downhill. The blind holes seemed to open up near the pin, so it was not so bad when looking for your tee shot.

Wide variation of shots needed to approach pins from the tee. I played in the fall and while there are many trees, the ground was clean enough that it was not hard to find discs thrown on blind shots or down hills.

Cons:

Challenging in that a lot of it is built on the side of a sloped hill, so there are roll aways and skips, but that is just part of the fun.

Other Thoughts:

I came away thinking this was easier than Stafford Lake, similar in difficulty to Delaveaga, but shorter on average. I am comparing to those courses because this is a great 18 hole NorCal course where all the holes are interesting.
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7 0
siddacious
Experience: 6.2 years 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great hiking trail with exciting DG course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 28, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course has a great range of shot types, just about every kind imaginable:
* Up, down and flat elevation, low and high ceiling
* "Cross the valley" shots
* Blind left and right corner shots
* Tunnel shots and wide open drives
* Protected and open pins

Given the location in a relatively remote hilly back corner of a large park, the amount of improvement to the land is admirable. Thousands of pounds of water and cement has been carried in to make cement tee pads on most holes, there are signs on most if not every hole for pin locations and a marker for the active pin. Someone has even thought to supply brooms for several of the tee pads.

The land that the course is on is also quite charming example of the rugged beauty that California hiking trails has to offer. If you enjoy hiking, you will doubly enjoy this course.

Cons:

If your mobility is impaired, or if you are the type of person to wait for an elevator rather than climb a single flight of stairs, this isn't the course for you. There is a lot of distance and elevation change to be climbed.

You will almost certainly have a roll away and will be looking for your disc in some scraggly brush at least two or three times over 18 holes. This isn't a deal breaker for me but your milage may vary. I would say it's a fair price to play such a fun and varied course.

Other Thoughts:

Bring more water than you think you'll need. You're going on a substantial hike and playing disc golf along the way.

Bring discs for left and right turning shots, and a "get out of jail" disc for escaping from tricky positions. My Nova is perfect for this.

The $5 fee is for parking per vehicle. Carpool with friends to save money. The disc golf course is only a small part of a large park with an archery range, picnic and BBQ areas, as well as a tent camping and RV area.
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13 0
robodude
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin.... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 23, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Talk about challenging! If you want to test your mettle, this is the place!
First, I have to express my appreciation for whoever put down the concrete tee slabs. When you're there, check them out. I don't recall any 2 being the same and some are really works of art....especially considering they had to truck everything in to make it happen.
Playing on a Friday morning, it was basically empty. We think we heard chains on the back 9 somewhere but we didn't even see another person.
Lots of decisions to be made on how to deliver tee shots and approaches.
The scrub is low enough to be able to find your discs so long as you're smart about which to drive with (ie. don't throw a yellow disc in the summer and expect to find it quickly in the yellow grasses).
Don't forget to take a minute every now and again and take in the incredible views! One of the most scenic of the courses I've played when you're up on the ridges.

Cons:

WATER...please! I played this course years and years ago and remember thinking it could really use some access to water. The walk there (1/4 mile...not 1/2 mile as others have said) and the steep mountain goat of a course makes trucking in a lot of water difficult. Having even just one place to fill your water bottle would be a HUGE improvement.
Rollaways....oh my goodness... You can drop the best drive right where you want and if it catches a lip or a rock...or even just leans in the wrong direction, you can watch it roll...and roll....and roll...
Be aware of which direction your disc is going to land...a RHBH throwing to a slope that goes down from right to left is just asking for a skip that takes off down the hill. We got smart and had someone spotting when we could....esp around the basket when an errant putt can take you from 2 feet away to 200 feet away in a matter of seconds.
The blind shots aren't too bad if you don't know the course...like us. Sending someone down the fairway to spot the basket wasn't terrible.
For whatever reason, we simply could not find the basket for #13 and had to skip it.

Other Thoughts:

We were blessed by great weather and NO WIND. This place would have been 100x worse if there had been even any breeze at all.
I have to wonder if they have buzy days and how, when it's busy, you deal with rollaways and having people have to truck down the hill to find their discs. It would seem that you could potentially have lots of backups and delays with folks having to get all the way down and all the way back up the hills that are an absolute constant throughout the course.
This is a GREAT course....very unique and challenging. I am just happy it's not my home course.
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10 2
sillybizz
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 22.2 years 407 played 392 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Turkey Shoot 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 28, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a fun course with decent challenge, wildlife, and good views. You drive in and pay at the guard station and then begin the half mile walk to the first tee but not before reading the warning signs about rattlesnakes and mountain lions (they call them cougars in Washington). On this little dirt path you walk past the archery range on the right and in my case a bunch of wild turkeys on the left. There is a neat little honey bucket on wheels just before the first hole so take advantage of that.

Hole one already has you planning your route, landing area, and more important how you land. Big dumb RHBH hyzers do not work for every hole on this course like some others so a bit of thinking and shot selection is required. Otherwise you're gonna be complaining about how hard the course is and how many roll aways you get like it's bad luck or something but if you are smart you can avoid most of it but I digress...

A challenging mix of up and down, left and right but if you've played a decent amount of courses you have probably played something similar. If you learned from those courses then this place won't seem so daunting. I heard the turkey gobble from my friend after his third consecutive birdie in row even though we've told him that's a bowling thing but whatever. This won't challenge 1000 rated players much but most intermediate to advanced ams will find challenge and fun here for the most part; however don't take someone new or those who aren't used to hills, and dry, hot weather. When we played the wind was howling and make those downhill throws that much more challenging.

Baskets are in fine shape, especially my favorite on top of the wine barrel. Although I have seen this in one other place before I still really appreciate the uniqueness of putting on it and hope it is kept this way. Tee pads are mostly rubber and do a fine job although gravel and dirt surround them. Luckily there are brooms and benches at every hole.

Cons:

There isn't anything super special or unique in any way be it a hole or something else just a solid course. While not really something annoying or would keep me from playing it does limit my opinion (and rating) of the course. I also feel as though the course could be much harder, whether they need to use more land or shorten the amount of holes is probably controversial I feel it could improve it.

Other Thoughts:

The multiple pins idea is one I'm not so sure about. Although you get variety for those who play it a lot you also can be disappointed when you wanted to play the 'a' position and it's in 'b' or 'c' or what have you. I almost feel as though if they have enough room for that they have room to add length to some of the holes to make some epic downhill, uphill and cross hill holes. There are I believe four different pins for each hole which is a little overboard; I think I might be alright with two, maybe three but then again if there is room for that is there room to make one location for the basket that is better than the four they have? Remains to be seen, just my not so humble opinion.
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1 7
mikehohyo
Experience: 11.2 years 22 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Better in the winter 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Great views, lots of trees, longer holes, lots of elevation change, good baskets, rotating basket positions

Cons:

Heavy dead grass, lack of trash cans, course not kept up with mowing, super dry

Other Thoughts:

Watch out for mountain lions!
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5 0
chadair
Experience: 13 years 35 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bring your best game 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2016 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

+ Challenging
+ Will test many aspects of your game, even though many of the holes are short, you still need a good arm to get over high trees
+ Natural setting
+ Recent improvement noticeable
+ Most teepees are very nice, with non-slick concrete surfaces and are adequately long
+ Many holes have some interesting risk-reward decisions at the teepad
+ I found myself facing many long 30-40' putts, which is uncommon... bring your best putting mojo

Cons:

- Still some improvement needed in teepads, signage, and erosion control, map is essential for first-timers
- Baskets need to be color coded so you know which one you are shooting to (for example, on the tee pad indicate shoot toward the _____ color basket)
- I think a few alternate lines need to be opened up on some holes
- some of the distances seem to be off

Other Thoughts:

This is an excellent course - it is challenging, has creative lines and basket locations, and is in a beautiful location. The "smart" line isn't always obvious, and gutsy shots off the tee can payoff big or be a disaster. Like many mountain courses, you'll need to control your roll-aways, and that's just part of disc golf. This course has the potential to be equal to some of the very good mountain courses in Colorado, just needs a bit more improvement.
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11 0
Mr. Butlertron
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 21.1 years 659 played 131 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A California Must Play 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 20, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

- Good variety of ascending defending holes
- Rubber/Concrete tees
- Quality baskets
- Beautiful scenery
-Challenging hole layouts
- Great tee signs
- Not a lot of underbrush to lose discs
- Brooms on some tees
- Crapper on site
- Mulitple pin placements

Cons:

- No alternate tees
- Not all baskets were labeled
- Blind tees mixed with high rollaway probability
- No basket indicators to tell which position the pin is currently in
- Lacking directional signage between holes,
- A little overlapping of fairways
- 15B in had no fairway
- No max distance bomber holes

Other Thoughts:

The only day I had a chance at playing this course the forecast called for rain, go figure. A little rain wasn't going to keep me from finally getting to play a course this awesome though. I honestly don't know why there were some guys complaining about having to trek up and down hills or even walk a half a mile each way just to get to the course, it wasn't a big deal at all. Then again, I came in December and not July.

I had pretty much the whole course to myself and didn't need much help figuring out the layout for the most part. The satellite map came in handy for figuring out how to get from hole to hole to make up for the lack of people to follow around. When faced with blind shots I just squirreled down the fairway to figure out where the pin location was. Normally I hate blind shots, especially on spotter-less hilly landscape, but the lack of underbrush made even the most heinous rollaways easy to find. I could see the whole process being much more stressful if it were hot, crowded and flush with summer vegetation growth. Adding an pin placement indicator on the sign would be nice, although I rarely see that on courses for some reason.

The course itself was a little side traversing heavy and could have used a long downhill bomber. Still, I fully enjoyed most holes with the exception of 15b. That hole didn't even have a fairway, which was disappointing. Pars came easily enough, birdies were a little tougher and required a mix of control/accuracy, risk, and luck. Speaking of luck, I happened to hit an ace on 10 pin A position!

As for the tee pads, they were a mix of rubber and concrete and all were in good condition. I don't know exactly when it started, but near the end of the course I started noticing variations of concrete tee pad surface designs. It was a real showcase of concrete craftsmanship on a few of them. My favorite pad was the one with little troughs across from side to side. My least favorite was the diamond grating in a "t" shape design. It was really slick, as in horrible, in spots because it retained a lot of mud within the nooks and crannies without a way to flow off the pad.

Skyline Wilderness Park easily ranks as my favorite California course played. It's rating 21 out of the state's top 25 courses is laughable. I thought it was easily the best California course that I've played by far. I have a bias toward wilderness themed type courses though. Lower skilled players likely would not share the enthusiasm I have for it, that's to be expected I guess. For those who think they'll be doing some "extra hiking", you might want to consider bringing a slimmer disc selection than normal. Packing light will help cut down the fatigue factor. I brought a full tourney set up including rain gear and extra food, it was a little overkill .
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2 2
deft
Experience: 9.5 years 9 played 5 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Skyline, an overlooked gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 24, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A beautiful and challenging course that requires ever shot in the book. This course will make you think about every shot because rollaways are very easy to come by. Multiple pin locations for ever hole can make this course go form an easy to soul crushing. I enjoyed the secludedness of the course and the locals were beyond welcoming. lots of benches and The new concrete tees for 7, 14 and 15 are the best i've seen anywhere.

Cons:

Some of the tees were rubber mats that have seen a lot of use. The local club is working on replacing all tees with concrete ones in the near future.

Other Thoughts:

I've played this course a 10 times over the last 3 years and everytime i come back it is improving. new positions for 4 and 12 and 15 are fun and challenging.
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1 8
Tcollins88
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

A good workout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 16, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

VERY technical. Tons of trees and hills.
Even though there's a sign warning against it, I saw no poison oak.

Cons:

Very little improvement to the grounds.

Two holes for 15. 15A & 15B. Course is designed that they both be done.

The basket for hole 18 says 19.

Other Thoughts:

This park has 2 courses. A 9 and an 18.

It's a 1 mile walk to the course and back. If your shots are good, the course itself is 1.5 miles in length.
Because of the hills, your disc will roll down hills several times if you're not careful.

You will get a good workout on this course.
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4 0
mattdabbs
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 20.8 years 104 played 61 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

The first thing you need to know is how to get in the course. From the entry gate look to your left toward the archery range. To the left of that range there is a gate that is pictured in the course pictures. That is where you walk in. For some reason that just didn't seem right to us with the archery right there but that is where you go in. Just want to keep you from walking around aimlessly!

After a decent hike around the backside of the archery fence you will find a porta potty and just up the hill from that his the tee for 1 right next to the basket for 18.

One unique feature of this course is that many of the tees are unique and really cool. I saw this as a complaint about inconsistent tees elsewhere but it is actually really cool. Some of the nicest tees I have played off of.

Another thing that is pretty unique about this course is that many to most of the holes play straight to right with quite a few being blind shots on hills. We kept saying, "another one to the right?!? Seriously!" While that did get old after a while it challenged a part of my game that rarely gets challenged and that was welcome.

The holes are not super long. Most are reachable on your drive but they are blind and will require 1) a course map to really figure this course out and 2) extra walking down the fairway. You can usually pick the pin out pretty fast so not too bad here.

The course is very hilly and it can cause some severe rollaways on some holes but nothing too horrible. Come ready to walk and bring water.

All in all, not the very best course in this area (it has some good competition...this is not a slam) of California but better than average and definitely worth playing if you are traveling through.

Cons:

The biggest con was seeing multiple pins from the fairway. That got confusing in a few places. Other than that, I really cannot think of much. Fun course!

Other Thoughts:

Pretty much said it all already. Try this course out especially if you are left handed and make sure to bring a map. It is essential.
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2 1
nin1002
Experience: 20.5 years 12 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Unique course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course was a bit difficult for me to properly evaluate as I live in Wisconsin and have never played a course that was not located in the midwest. The course has it's own personality, and the people that I met on the course were all locals and EXTREMELY friendly! After reading other reviews, the course was not nearly as demanding physically on me as I initially was envisioning it. This is not to say that it isn't a bit of a workout, but unless you are in horrible shape or completely unaware you are about to play a frolf course in a mountainous range, there really should not be an issue. I went out Sunday late morning during 4th of July weekend and never had an issue with waiting or bumping into other people that were playing the same hole.

Cons:

I found the layout very confusing and difficult to find the next hole numerous times. There was a stretch where I could see five baskets all at the same time in the same relative vicinity of each other and just was not sure which ones were for which holes (a number of the baskets are not numbered so it's a bit of a mystery). Normally I confirm this information, but honestly, just walking to all of these baskets and tee boxes to see what is what is a major physical investment that I just did not want to do. I was playing with another guy I met who was not very good, and it took over two hours to play 12 holes. Not having the ability to truly spot the basket and repeatedly making blind throws on the mountain I've never played at forced me into playing for par (or worse) on every hole. I really did not enjoy the difficulty in finding the correct basket on almost every hole....and not even finding it on others. I ended up finishing some holes on different baskets at times as I simply could not identify the baskets unless I was right next to them.

Other Thoughts:

As I said, it's very hard for me to really give a fair review of this course as I very rarely leave Wisconsin, and this was the first time in my life I have gone on such a road trip and had a chance to bring my discs with. I have never seen a mountain, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It took me a handful of holes to get used to the predictable skip that my shot would end with. I had no issues with the "Napa Roller" except for one hole I got one, but I drilled a tree after maybe 50 feet of rolling and I found it rather amusing since I only had it happen once and ONLY once. I was somewhat sad trying to find any of the baskets from the tee box. Again, I normally just walk the course and find them, but it's very hard to be that committed to doing that on this course as the walking gets long. The elevation wasn't really anything that bothered me as I knew it was there to start with and accepted it. The thing I didn't like was it is so dry there that there is no ground vegetation at all that isn't dead. Whatever dirt/mud spots that existed are powdered dust at this point and that made everything rather slippery. I never fell, but I was walking very cautiously to make sure I didn't as I can imagine one could have an epic fall here. All in all, it was an experience I just could not pass by, but I wish the whole thing would of been easier to navigate.
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4 0
Doofenshmirtz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.8 years 121 played 72 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Somewhat technical course with lots of elevation. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 14, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

This course is set in rolling hills with steep elevation changes and plenty of trees ranging from short to low-medium height. In many cases tee placements force low throws through openings in trees and in others you are free to throw over the trees. Almost all baskets are on slopes with the potential for rollaways that are longer than the tee-to-basket distance. As a consequence, it forces the use of spin direction to lower the possibility for roll, i.e., you will want a decent forehand game to help lessen the rollaway potential on many holes.

There is a .4 mile walk in that should keep the course from getting too crowded. Bathrooms are available on the course but you should bring your own water.

There were a number of apparently new tee boxes of inconsistent design, but all perfectly adequate. Baskets were all in good shape and there was a good system to identify pin locations.

There were no truly long bombs for a RHBH player on the day that I played (due to shorter pin positions). Most holes were definitely reachable but well guarded by trees lending to considerable technicality in addition to just elevation changes. This course definitely calls for a lot of shot shaping even though the course was only of medium difficulty in the way that it was set up when I played. However, by the look of the alternate basket locations, this course could be set up to high degree of difficulty. Overall, the feel of this course is that of a densely wooded course with the added bonus of rollaway potential on almost every hole. Indeed, I had to be wary of how I placed my bag for most putts and upshots due to its rollaway potential on steeply sloped ground.

With no truly wide open fairways, almost every throw requires some degree of control. The long, steep slopes can severely punish errant throws.

I found almost all holes to be very well thought out and fairly challenging. However, I also had a really good round.

As a bonus, wild turkeys were gobbling occasionally and even in response to the occasional impromptu outburst at a poorly thrown shot.

Cons:

I don't have too much to complain about on this course. I did notice warnings for Mountain Lion and snakes at the head of the trail leading in to the course. We didn't see either, but I suppose risking being eaten is a bit of downer unless you like a little more adventure than usual.

There was no drinking water on the course which could be handy on hotter days.

If you are physically challenged or not in decent shape, this course is not for you. Finding a stable stance in some spots can be difficult for anyone.

There were some bare areas that could probably get slick after rains, however the course was in perfect condition on the day that I played.

There was plenty poison oak around the course. Learn to identify this and stay away from it.

Other Thoughts:

I played this on a trip that included Stafford Lake, Taylor Mountain and Golden Gate. Of all those courses, I'd have to rate this the most fun. It is a definite must play if you are in or near Napa.
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6 0
michizicle
Experience: 16 years 14 played 1 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Spring Rocks and Summer Rolls! (A Review) 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 23, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Okay, so the main Pro of this course is challenge! When I originally started playing it seemed impossibly tough to even finish this course and now it can be done in roughly 1 and 1/2 hours. Long story short it will make a serious "Disc Golfer" out of you. The hole dynamics are well thought out and there are no two back to back holes that feel like shooting the same shot twice. The 4/10 of a mile easy hike "in" means that only people who truly are there for disc golf will be wandering around on the course. Bonus no "riff raff!" The course features gorgeous views and breathe taking scenery along with a very good exercise routine of hiking up and down rolling hills. The tee boxes are in great shape due to some recent work. Signage is the best I've seen of any course I've played yet. The locals for the most part are friendly and always welcome to guide those who are unfamiliar with course. All the DISCatchers are in good working order and minus a little chipped paint here and there, are almost in perfect shape. One of the biggest problems was not having a close by restroom but as of today there was a portable privy right down next to hole one which hopefully will be a permanent fixture. Seasonal Pros:
-Winter: Lower temperatures, with rain comes mud which sometime will "catch" your disc and keep it from rolling away. Low or no grass allows "skips" to come into play much more often. No foliage on the trees opens up all kinds of holes and "windows" to shoot through so you can try shots you would never dare in other seasons. The poison oak is mostly dormant. The vermin that plague nature are almost non existent as well.
-Spring: Temperate nice weather and longer days. Taller Green grass to grab your disc from taking off down the mountain side. Water OB will come into play slightly more regularly with the small tributary creek that runs by #1,#15B,#16,#17, and#18. (The nice part is it's not gross murky pond water and it's not deep.)
-Summer: Longer days more hours to play. Usually the morning fog will make the course cool and still.
-Autumn: Is awesome between late budding grass and fallen leaves the ground has tenancy to try to stop every rolling disc. The weather is super temperate. It is by far the best season for the park.

Cons:

So the number 1 gripe for every person on this course would be the dreaded ROLL! It happens quite a bit but it's something that can not be stopped. The way nature and gravity work, these are things that can not necessarily be helped. On to things that could be helped: A couple of holes are lacking benches which is an easy fix. The lack of trash cans. The understandable parameter on that is, with the course being remote and hilly with no good access road removing the refuse would be quite the headache. People don't always use the 5 that are provided on the course but good samaritans usually come through and pick up after the slobs. The fact that the closest water source is all the way back down at the entrance means you need to pack in a lot of water if you are going for a full day. (No big deal, what's a gallon of water but 8 extra pounds.) Other year round pitfalls are poison oak. (Leaves of 3 let it be.) The afternoon winds can wreak havoc on your score. (For most of the time they can go unseen or unfelt.) Seasonal Cons:
-Winter: That same mud that might save you from a roll can also put you on your back. It may be hard to grasp footing for some shots. Colder areas that don't get sun may become icy. No grass ground cover can also lead to an over abundance of roll away discs.
-Spring: It's in the air and all over the ground. Be expectant of possible allergies. Poison Oak starts to bud out and the deer ticks start to come out to play too. Oh lord I almost forgot our friends the mosquitoes, lots of those in the afternoon/evening.
-Summer: Can get insanely hot so best to go out early or late to avoid heat stoke and such. Western diamond back rattle snakes will start to come out but for the most part they stay away from the heavy traffic areas. (If you find yourself off the beaten path best to keep your eyes and ears open.) Poison Oak and ticks continue.
Autumn: Can be the same as summer with a little less heat, but it's just so darn pretty.

Other Thoughts:

So all in all this entire course is great! A great challenge and good day if you come prepared. I highly suggest making this a double round kind of day if you're driving a good distance to get here. (Don't complain too much about the $5 parking fee it goes to keeping the course open and an awesome place to play.) If you come out a lot buy a season pass for $45 and then you can go as many times as you like for free. Get out early with good attire like trail running or hiking shoes. Light colored pants and a short sleeve shirt with a wind breaker. (Light colors are good to keep you cooler in the heat of the day and it's easier to spot intrusive insects on lighter colors.)
You don't have to start with the front 9 and I really suggest if you are having a long day at it, that you play the back 9 first. It's a little easier and not quite as big in elevation changes. To get there, walk straight up the mountain from Tee pad 1 to reach tee pad 10. Bring lots of liquid and some light snacks with, to keep your body in good shape for the amount oh hiking around you'll be doing. Bug spray and allergy meds and sunscreen aren't a bad idea either. When it come to the terrible rolls just watch your play style at this course and it will defiantly cut way down on that factor. Try driving your disc the opposite directions of the sideways slopes to stop rolls. Feel free to have good up shot placement instead of going straight for the basket. Most of the time if you hit any part of the basket besides chains or inside it will end in disaster. (Birdie to Triple Bogie) Watch the grass and the trees at the top of any hill you're shooting up or over, you'll see the telltale signs of jet streams you didn't previously see. Get good kicks in the dirt for good solid footing on the heavy slopes to avoid rolling down the slope yourself. Most of all have fun out there, it was designed to be a pro level course so even if you don't shoot well at least you finished it like a pro.
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3 14
Fntsygamr
Experience: 8.8 years 62 played 27 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Why did I play this course? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 5, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Location is a good. Scenery is beautiful. Good signs, washer system to locate holes. Tee pads are decent too. Weather was nice for a round.

Cons:

Muddy after the recent rain. Very hilly, slippery, poison oak very rampant. Pin location on #10 is ridiculous! Many shots are silly in placement. Walk in is long, walk out longer. People not courteous of others on the course. Very easy to lose your disc. $5 to park on muddy grass.

Other Thoughts:

First & last time I'll play this course. It's off my wish list. Not a fun round, first time I've said that about any course. Save your time and play elsewhere in the area. Take the time to travel to Vacaville, Geyserville, Rohnert Park, or anywhere else but here.
Lost a light blue sidewinder on #14. Name & number on disc. Call if found please.
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5 0
kevaunne
Experience: 15.8 years 40 played 19 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Challenging, well-balanced, fair and punishing 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 22, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- well maintained with great signage, good quality teepads and newer baskets.
- Lovely setting in a wooded valley, isolated and never crowded
- Great mix of longer/shorter, dogleg left/right, uphill/downhill, & tunnel/open shots. The course design will test your skill-set and range
- I can't think of an especially weak hole design here (possibly 10). Overall, a strong course layout

Cons:

- Steep hills EVERYWHERE. To an extent, this is a pro but the constant risk of a shot rolling 50ft+ from where it lands can detract from the fun-factor. And it's not just the discs that roll downhill, your bag, your water bottle, your disc retrieval tool and even your own body will be constantly fighting gravity. My rounds here end with some sore legs.
- There's a 10 minute walk between parking and teepad #1. The course is pretty far from restrooms and water sources. Definitely pack in water.
- This seems to be one of the warmer spots in the Bay Area. A combo of steep hills and heat can wear you down. I'd avoid this course on a hot day.

Other Thoughts:

I occasionally play this course when I've grown tired of the Bay Area mainstays. It's designed well but the constant threat of roll-aways and hiking up hills detract from the fun factor. The course design is fair, balanced, challenging and punishing. I'd recommend playing here but it wouldn't be at the very top of my must-play list.
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3 0
cboucher
Experience: 11.8 years 20 played 4 reviews
4.50 star(s)

Great course in the Napa hills 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 5, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The first thing I noticed was that this course is separated from the rest of the park by quite a bit of distance. There is a sizeable walk to get to it from the parking lot, so the only people you see on the course are disc golfers for the most part. There are the occasional bike riders on the path leading up to and going through the course, but I have never really seen them causing any issues. The course itself was very well designed and is located on a beautiful piece of land. Tee pads are in great condition, some being recently replaced, with good signage and brooms and fire extinguishers at pretty much every one of them. All tees have at least one bench, but most have multiple benches or chairs of some type. There are multiple pin locations for every hole. Great use of elevation throughout the course. Each hole uses the natural terrain very well and no two holes feel the same. The course is spread out over a large area so you won't have to worry about crossing fairways too much unless you really shank one. This course is very challenging and gives you ample opportunity to use every shot and disc in your bag. A true equal opportunity course. Righty or lefty, backhander or forehander, no one throwing style is favored on this course. In fact, to do well on this course would require virtually all throwing styles, including overhand.

Cons:

The infamous "Napa Roller". Although I really consider this part of the challenge and not necessarily a con, there is some frustration to be had when otherwise good shots hit the ground and roll down the hill farther than where you originally threw them from. Due to the elevation changes throughout the course, one can get winded going up and down the hills all day chasing frisbees. Then there is that long walk back to the car when you're already tired from playing your round.

Other Thoughts:

Bring plenty of water and snacks (I suggest trail mix). You will be tired, hungry and thirsty during a round here so be sure to bring these items with you. Also, I forgot to mention that they sell discs in the little kiosk at the front of the park. The prices actually aren't too bad. There is a practice basket right next to the parking lot and bathrooms. I like to practice putting while waiting for friends to arrive, so I find this rather convenient.
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